Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-02-17
rrw roRx,s wArEn sUppnr.
Tho Proposed Dam would be the
Largest Ever Built.


Largest Ever Built.
The squsduct commissioners have de-
termined upon the construction Of q |
storage reservoir for the Croton water |
which, as an engineering feat, says the |
New York Times is without parallel. It
inyolyes the construction of the greatest
dam ever built. II will be a solid ridge
OF masonry riaing at feet from its
foundation on aolid bed rock and 1T9
above the bed of the river. AT the bottom
II will be 500 feet long and at the top
1900 feet. The cost, as estimated by
Chief Engineer Church, will be 80, TAI 900
Of which 81 zoe, 900. will be required for
the purchase of some 5000 acres Of land
TO be overfiowed. The depth of the
present Oroton reservoir above the head
Of the new aqueduct is about 26 feet,
and that reservoir has q capacity Of
1900, 900 900 gallons. At its head,
about Ave miles above the present
tam, at Muscoot Mountain, another dam Is
to be built to the same level as that of the
proposed great dam at Quaker Bridge.
This will provide storage for 2, 500, 600, 900
gallons below the mouths Of the subsidi-
AIRY streams of the Oroton river. The
Quaker Bridge dam will raise the level OF
the water "a feet, making its total depth
at the gate of the aqueduet go feet. The
storage capacity thus secured would bt
about 80, 00O, 900, 900 gallons. There are
subsidiary reservoirs on the uppel
streams which will add about 1000, 600,
600 gallons to this capacity, holding bacl
the reserve Of water about the sources o
the supply. The new dam, being hv
miles below that now at the foot of tn
lake, will add 23 square miles TO tn
watershed contributing to the supply
The annual supply of the watershed
above the present Oroton dam is in ordi
nary years about ITO, 600, 000, 900 gallons
OF an equivalent of about 0000O, 90
gallons per day.
The main object of the great dam 0
Quaker Bridge is to conserve, Unnecessary
this entire supply for the use of the city
The new aqaeduet will be capable of d,
livering at least 25G, SOC, 900 gallons ida.
and the old aqueduct, which was col
structed to carry 80, 600, 900 gallons dali.
can be put in condition for continued III
indefinitely. Thus it will be seen tn
means will be afforded for bringing
the city, whenever it may be needed, Il
entire water supply of the Croton regioI
With a full supply under adequa
pressure the lowest estimate
consumption is 100 gallons dai
for every inhabitant of the city. III
provision from this source will thereto
be sufficient for population of 3 ,O00,0C
That it will be needed at no very reno
period does not admit of doubt. In ord
to secure ii with an equable daily tlC
throughout the year IL is obvious IL
means must be provided for storing {
whole supply. The flow of the Crot
river, which aggregates 1000, OOO,l
gallons in an ordinary year. varies W
the seasons from 100000 to 500
100000 gallons day. In order, the
fore, to capture the whole supply q
deliver in an equable and steady strea
provision must be made for storing
flow of flood times against periods
drought.
The main questions. therefore, in
gard to the great project proposed
whether it is feasible and whether il
necessary. The first question is sett
beyond all doubt by the weight of exp
testimony. Some of the most compel
engineers in the country have pronoun
il to be entirely practicable to constr
the great dam so that it will he to Nil
tents and purposes as secure and last
as the surrounding hills. Its neces
for storing the water supply and secul
TO the new aqueduct a steady
throughout the year adequate to
growing needs of the city is also agl
to by engineers of undoubted emint
and integSity. 1t is the opinion of $
of the most competent of these, iuclu
Mr.. Church, that it will be needed
the very opening of the new aqued
The question of expense, even if 1t sh
considerably exceed the estimates, is
tied by the answer to the question
the necessity of the reservoir. II
necessary for the purpose named, til
pense must be incurred, and there 81
to be no sufficient argument in favor
postponement Of the undertaking.